October 21, 2015 in Communications, Disaster Response
LDR Volunteers Staffed Pope’s Visit
Lutheran Disaster Response in Eastern PA connected volunteers with a number of groups working in support of Pope Francis’ recent visit.
LDR connected volunteers with the Salvation Army feeding efforts to nourish police, first responders, firefighters, and others. They also connected our specially trained Disaster Spiritual Partners volunteers with Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health to be chaplains at medical tents throughout the city.
Here is the experience of one volunteer, Kathie Afflerbach of St. John’s, Quakertown:
Kathie Afflerbach (right) with fellow spiritual care volunteers, pastors Thomas Rusert and Tom Kadel.
Kathleen A. Afflerbach, AiM
Director, Donor Services & Coordinator, Non-Credit Education, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia
It was a once in a lifetime experience. I was in awe of the medical teams setting up their first aid stations and medical tents. The Red Cross was awesome, everyone for the most part got along well.
I had an opportunity to watch a seasoned behavioral health specialist work with a woman in the middle of the night who came to us distraught and a bit hysterical. She was able to talk her down to a point that the woman was taking a nice nap until she could be taken back to the place she was staying with her group.
Even though the process of setting us up was well behind schedule initially – everyone just flowed with it – and by mid-afternoon most of the tents were setup and folks were manning them.
